12th Annual Adult Abuse Conference Starts Sunday

OKLAHOMA CAPITOL -- Under the theme: "A New Vision for A New Century," more than 300 are expected to attend the 12th Annual Oklahoma Adult Abuse Conference at the Biltmore Hotel and Conference Center in Oklahoma City Oct.15-17, according to an Oklahoma Department of Human Services official.
OKDHS Aging Services Administrator Roy R. Keen said, "This conference has been planned to help new and veteran health and human services professionals who work with abused, neglected and exploited adults in our state. We believe the program will also benefit the general public who want to learn more about abuse, neglect and exploitation of vulnerable adults.

"We had a record number of investigations and confirmations of abuse against elderly and incapacitated adults in Oklahoma last year, and we hope the networking and information sharing at this conference will help us improve the ways we deliver services for these citizens.

During fiscal year 2000, which ended June 30, Oklahoma Adult Protective Services workers received 12,632 abuse referrals, an 11 percent increase from fiscal 1999. Sixty-six percent (66%) of the investigations were confirmed with abuse, neglect and or exploitation. More than 72 percent of all the investigations involved Oklahomans age 60 or older.

In the United States, some 1.5 million persons age 60 and older were victims of abuse, a 50 percent increase since 1980. Elder abuse cuts across all socioeconomic and ethnic lines.

Exploitation—

Keen said there are those in society who truly want to take advantage of the elderly. Last year, more than 1,000 of the 1,500 exploitation investigations in Oklahoma were con artists taking advantage of the elderly...

• Never give out your Social Security number or any credit card number over the telephone.
• Contact the Better Business Bureau to check out any company’s reputation. If the company is legitimate, they won’t mind the wait.
• Never do business with anyone who demands payment in cash, today, and is unwilling to give you references to check or an address to write for further information.
• If you do decide to buy, always use a check or money order in case of fraud, they can be more easily traced.
• Always ask anyone who poses as a public official or a utility worker to show you some identification and have the worker wait outside while you call their employer for verification.

For more information about the conference, call: (405) 325-2248 or (405) 521-3660. On-site registrations are welcome.

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